Meghan Markle’s half-sister discusses meeting Archie
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex published a “letter to 2021” on their Archewell website, but the wording of the letter appeared to “airbrush the men out of the picture”. The letter focused on the mother-child relationship to the detriment of fatherly connection. Not only were Prince Charles and Thomas Markle completely excluded from the conversation, but the wording also appeared to neglect Harry’s relationship with one-year-old Archie.
The letter began: “I am my mother’s son. And I am my son’s mother.”
Later in the piece, they said: “We have experienced compassion and kindness from our mothers and strangers alike.”
The letter was accompanied by pictures of a young Harry with Princess Diana and a young Meghan with her mother Doria Ragland.
Pod Save the Queen is hosted by Ann Gripper and features Daily Mirror royal editor Russell Myers.
Ms Gripper argued that the focus on “my son’s mother” leaves the obvious question as to what Harry’s role is in the family.
READ MORE: Meghan and Harry ‘airbrushing fathers out of the picture’
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their son Archie Harrison in 2019 (Image: GETTY)
Meghan and Doria; the picture of Harry and Princess Diana used on the Archewell website (right) (Image: GETTY)
She said: “The thing that immediately struck me is that it was kind of airbrushing the men out of the picture a little bit somehow.
“It’s a bit like ‘Ooh, ouch’. If I was Charles I think I would probably feel quite hurt.
“Not even the setup at the beginning, but saying, ‘We’ve experienced compassion from our mothers and strangers alike’, it’s almost like mothers are the only people who can give compassion.
“And when you’re putting the focus on being ‘our son’s mother’, what is the role of the son’s father?
“I felt like Harry was put at a distance from Archie.
Prince Harry with his father Prince Charles (Image: GETTY)
“And I know that this is absolutely micro-analysis of what they’re saying and how they’ve said it and all that kind of thing, but ultimately they are Harry and Meghan and that’s what happens.”
Mr Myers said he thought it was “fair enough” to micro-analyse their words given they were coming directly from the horse’s mouth.
He suggested that the reason fathers are somewhat “airbrushed out” of the picture was Meghan’s poor relationship with her father Thomas in recent years.
While the Duchess lived with her father for most of her teenage years after her parents split when she was young, and had a close relationship with him at that time, she has become estranged from him since her wedding to Harry.
It is believed there was a falling out over staged paparazzi pictures, and Thomas’ health meant he was unable to attend the wedding and walk his daughter down the aisle.
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Thomas Markle on Good Morning Britain (Image: ITV)
Thomas has spoken to numerous media outlets claiming Meghan has stopped talking to him and begging her to get in touch.
However, he has also criticised her and said a number of things that might be hurtful to his daughter.
Their father-daughter relationship is now at the centre of a lawsuit in which Meghan has accused the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline of invading her privacy by publishing sections of a letter she wrote to her father.
Meanwhile, Harry’s relationship with Prince Charles went through a difficult patch when he and Meghan decided to step down as senior royals.
The Royal Family were said to be “hurt” by this, especially because the Sussexes announced their decision without proper clearance from the Queen or Charles.
Meghan Markle: Expert discusses photo with mother Doria
However, it is believed they have patched up their relationship and have remained close, despite being across the Atlantic from each other for nearly a year.
Therefore, his conspicuous exclusion from the narrative might potentially be quite “hurtful”, Mr Myers agreed.
He said: “Maybe the fact that Prince Charles has been airbrushed from it is potentially a little bit hurtful.
“But I can see the direction it’s going in and certainly the imagery used of that picture of Harry on Diana’s shoulders.
“It almost just felt as though they couldn’t mention Charles because then they’d have to mention Thomas and that just seems slightly ridiculous.
“Everyone knows Meghan doesn’t have a relationship with her father and that’s her prerogative.
“It’s at such a low ebb, unfortunately, their relationship, that then Charles doesn’t get a look-in.”
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